Process of and apparatus for filling cracks and crevices



J an. 15,1935. E' 1,987,626

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING CRACKS AND CREVICES Filed Feb. is,1932 m/ VENITO/P ML #54 A7 K1. /L-:

, idly/A AT'To A/Ey Patented Jan. 15, 1935 PROCESS Wilhelm Klie, Kiel,

OF AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING CRACKS AND CREVICES Germany, assignor toDeutsche Werke Kiel Aktiengesellschaft, Kiel, Germany, a. corporation ofGermany Application February 16, 1932. Serial No. 593,257

Germany January 21, 1930 2 Claims.

This invention relates to" a. method and means for inserting a fillingmaterial or a plugging material into cracks and cavities formed inconcrete, rocks and the like.

Experience has shown that structures made of concrete often crack aftera certain time, so that cavities are formed in the concrete. Theconcrete -may even become completely disintegrated and form looselyinterconnected layers. It was found that usually the upper portions ofconcrete have more cracks than its lower portions.

In some cases in which a layer of masonry has been placed on top of aconcrete structure, the concrete underneath the masonry may become softand rotten while the masonry is preserved in a good condition. Y

In mines and similar underground concrete structures, liquids flowingunder pressure, such .as-sea water; may come in contact with theconcrete and cause'the formation of cracks and cavities.

During the construction of mines, tunnels and the like, it is oftendifiicult to complete the work because water is found in the rock, orcoal and ore strata.

In all the above-mentioned cases it is necessary to insert underpressure a so-called filling or plugging material such as cement,chemicals and the like, into cracks or cavities to prevent a disasterwhich might occur if the process ofdisintegration is allowed to developany further. The same procedure is used to prevent water from flooding amine.

In prior art, it is customary 'to drive an iron pipe or an iron tubethrough a conical wood stopper and then to drive this pipe together withthe stopper into a bore hole which was drilled as far as the cavities orcracks in the concrete or rock, the stopper acting as a sealing memberat the outer end of the bore hole. Then cement or another similarmaterial was inserted under pressure into the pipe. Due to the fact thatthe pipe does not fit the bore hole tightly, the filling material oftenpenetrates into the space between the bore hole and the pipe and raisesthe upper layers of the concrete structure before the-cavities or cracksof the lower layers of the structure are filled.

In some instances weights have been placed around the bore hole toprevent the upper layers from being raised and damaged. This isineffective in most cases and it is always inconvenient and veryexpensive.

when chemical fillers are used for the cracks and cavities of astructure, a very high pressure has to be employed, and the effect ofthis pressure cannot be offset by placing weights around the bore hole.Y

An object of the present invention is the provision of an inexpensiveand effective method of inserting a filling material into the cavitiesand cracks of a structure or rock.

The above and other objects of the present invention may be realizedthrough the use of a pair of concentric pipes one of which is sealedwith respect to the walls of the borehole. The second pipe which ismovable with respect to the sealed pipe may be moved more deeply intothe bore hole and used for transmitting the filling material into thecracks and cavities of a structure or rock.

The outer pipe carries a member used as a support for the sealingmaterial which is inserted into the space between the walls of the borehole and this pipe. The inner pipe is provided with another memberusedas a support for a sealing material which may be introduced into thespace between the walls of the two pipes.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detaileddescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingshowing in section a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

As shown in the drawing, a pressure pipe a is surrounded by and situatedat a certain distance from an outer concentric pipe b. A cap 0 isscrewed on top of the pipe I). The cap 0 carries a set pin or screw (1which may come in contact" with the walls of the pressure pipe a. Theelbow piece or a branch pipe e forms a part of the' cap 0. The outer endof the branch pipe e may be inclined at any-suitable angle dependingupon the angle of inclination of the bore hole. I

The pressure pipe a connected at its upper end with a member f which maybe attached to a tube or pipe h used for transmitting under pressure afilling material or a plugging material to the pipe a. The member fcarries a valve 9.

The pipe a carries at or near its opposite lower end an end plate iwhich has approximately the same diameter as the bore hole. A packingring which is made of leather, felt or the like and which is slightlybent along its periphery is mounted on top of the plate Another endplate m is carried by the lower end of the outer pipe I). v:

In operation, the end plate 12 with thewpacking ring k is pressedtightly against the plate m. The pipe 4 is pressed tightly against thecap 0 by the screw d so that the pipes a and b are firmly connected witheach other. Then the two pipes a and b are introduced together into thebore hole until they practically reach to the level of the cavities andcracks which are to be filled.

Should water be present in the bore hole, this water will fiow out ofthe upper end of the pipe a.

After the pipes a and b have been placed in their proper positions, aquickly setting substance which is indicated by the letters SZ in thedrawing, is inserted into the space between the outer pipe I) and thewalls of the bore hole, the plate m acting as a support for saidsubstance. This quickly setting substance may consist of cement mixedwith a setting accelerator or cement fondu, or the like.

When the substance-SZ has become solid, it seals the outer pipe b withrespect to the walls of the bore hole.

Then the tube h is connected with the pressure pipe a and the filling orplugging material is forced into the bore hole through pipes h and a.

This material passes through the entire pipe a and reaches the cracks orcavities which are to be filled-in. Due to the pressure exerted upon thefilling material through the pipe (1 this material is pressed into thecracks and crevices and first fills the larger cracks and then thesmaller ones. Due to the provision of the substance SZ which seals theouter pipe, the pressure exerted upon the filling material cannot betransmitted to the outer layers of the structure so that these layerscannot be raised or otherwise injured.

In some cases it must be necessary or desirable to insert the fillingmaterial twice into the bore hole and to use it a second time-forfilling cracks formed in lower layers of the structure or rock. Itshould be noted that the device disclosed in the present applicationpermits the use of a higher pressure for filling the lower layers, sincethese lower layers are located at a greater distance from the uppersurface of the structure or rock.

After the cracks formed in the upper layers have been filled, the pipe ais disconnected. from the cap 0, and the pipes h and a are disconnected,to enable the filling material which may still remain in the bore holeto pass through the pipe a while this pipe is being inserted more deeplyinto the bore hole; a funnel n is attached to the upper end of thebranch pipe e and the sealing substance 82 is introduced through thefunnel n and the branch pipe e into the space between the walls of thepipe a and the pipe b. The pressure pipe a is moved more deeply into thebore hole while the sealing substance SZ is still liquid. The sealingsubstance 52 follows the pressure pipe a due to its own weight and alsodue to suction taking place between the. plates 2' and m so that thefilling material which has been inserted into the upper cracks duringthe first filling is not permitted to flow back into the bore hole.

The position of the pressure tube a after it has been inserted moredeeply into the bore hole is illustrated by broken lines in the drawing.In this position, the pipe a is again pressed against the cap 0 by' thescrew (1. After the sealing substance situated between the walls of thepipe 11 and the pipe b, has become solid, the tube It is again connectedwith the pressure pipe a and a second charge of the filling material orplugging material is forced into the bore hole through the pipes h anda.

Prior to this insertion of the second charge of the filling material thecap 0 together with the funnel n are taken off and cleaned before thesealing material becomes solid.

Finally the pressure tube h is removed and the ends of the two pipes aand b projecting above the upper surface of the concrete are cut off.

A further advantage of this process is that the two pipes a and b whichremain in the concrete form excellent anchoring means for the concretelayers. Such anchoring means are particularly necessary for the upperlayers of the concrete and the two pipes a and b will have theirgreatest effect upon these upper layers. The entire bore hole may besubjected to this effect by arranging the end plate i in such a way thatthe pipe 1) reaches nearly to the bottom of the bore hole at theinsertion of the second charge of the filling material.

I claim:

1. In a process of pressing filling or plugging material into concrete,rock or the like by means of a pressure pipe inserted into a bore hole;inserting a second pipe into said bore hole which second pipe surroundswith space said pressure pipe, closing ofi said second pipe against saidpressure pipe at its inner end, sealing ofi said second pipe against thewall of the bore hole before the layer to be filled or plugged, pressingfilling or plugging material through said pressure the space between thetwo pipes, and pressing.

again filling or plugging material through said pressure pipe.

2. An apparatus for pressing filling or plugging material into concrete,rock or the like, comprising a pressure pipe to be inserted into a borehole, a second pipe adapted, when inserted into the bore hole tosurround said pressure pipe with space,a member on said second pipeadapted to serve as a support for sealing material to be introducedthrough the space between said second pipe and the bore hole wall, and amember on said pressure pipe adapted to serve as a support for sealingmaterial to be introduced through the space between the two pipes.

' WILHELM KLIE.

